Canadian perspectives of digital mental health supports: Findings from a national survey conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objectives The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on population mental health has highlighted the potential for digital mental health to support the needs of those requiring care. This study sought to understand the digital mental health experiences and priorities of Canadians affected by mental health conditions (i.e. seekers, patients, and care partners). Methods A national cross-sectional electronic survey of Canadians was administered through a market research firm's survey panel. Seekers, patients, and care partners were asked about their digital mental health experiences (e.g. uptake, barriers to access) and priorities. Survey responses were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results Overall, 1003 participants completed the survey. 70.2% of participants routinely use digital mental health supports to support themselves or those they care for; however, only 28.6% of participants are satisfied with the available digital mental health supports. Most participants (73.3%) have encountered some barriers when accessing digital mental health supports. Awareness of digital mental health supports was a top barrier identified by participants. The top digital mental health priorities consisted of digital mental health curation, navigation, and a digital mental health passport. Conclusions Most participants use digital mental health supports for themselves or others, however, many are unaware of digital mental health supports available. Efforts to improve navigating access to digital and in-person mental health services are seen as a top priority, highlighting the need to enable seekers, patients, and care partners to find the appropriate support and make decisions on how to best improve their mental health.

Digital health literacy and well-being among university students: Mediating roles of fear of COVID-19, information satisfaction, and internet information search

“…1 The COVID-19 crisis is a catalyst for population mental health problems. 2 As highlighted by UNICEF for Latin America and the Caribbean, 27% and 15% of the youths suffered from anxiety feeling and depression, respectively. 3 Patients in the United States (18.1%) were also given a psychiatric diagnosis, such as anxiety, depression, or insomnia within 3 months of receiving a COVID-19 diagnosis.…”

Implementation of a Population Mental Health and Wellness Text-Message Service: A mixed-methods study

“…According to a 2021 pan Canadian survey, approximately 70% of respondents reported using a digital health tool to support their mental health in the past year [15]. Moreover, approximately one third of respondents were satis ed with the digital mental health tools available to them [15]. Unsurprisingly, other studies have found that those with increased rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms are more likely to use digital mental health tools [16][17][18].…”

“…In a similar vein, those seeking mental health care supports, sometimes turned to consumer digital health tools such as web-based courses or platforms, mobile health apps, chatbots, and phone or text-based supports [14]. According to a 2021 pan Canadian survey, approximately 70% of respondents reported using a digital health tool to support their mental health in the past year [15]. Moreover, approximately one third of respondents were satis ed with the digital mental health tools available to them [15].…”

“…Despite the growing adoption of digital health tools as a means to support one's mental health, many individuals remain unaware of what mental health resources are available to them, be it digital or inperson [10,19]. For instance, awareness of digital mental health tools was cited as a top barrier to using digital mental health tools, where 32.6% percent of survey respondents indicated they were unaware of these resources [15]. Furthermore, for those who are aware of the available tools to support their mental health, distinguishing which tools are evidence based and trustworthy is yet another challenge for those seeking to use these types of resources [15,20].…”

“…For instance, awareness of digital mental health tools was cited as a top barrier to using digital mental health tools, where 32.6% percent of survey respondents indicated they were unaware of these resources [15]. Furthermore, for those who are aware of the available tools to support their mental health, distinguishing which tools are evidence based and trustworthy is yet another challenge for those seeking to use these types of resources [15,20]. This creates a clear need to provide more information to those seeking to improve their mental health and wellness, both about available digital mental health resources as well as which of these are trustworthy, evidence based, and evidence informed.…”